title: Psychological distress among female sex workers.
abstract: The prevalence and correlates of psychological distress were examined in a sample of 171 female sex workers in Queensland. It was found that 28 per cent were above the GHQ-28 threshold for mild psychiatric morbidity, a rate that is not appreciably different from that of women in the general community. The sample included only eight street sex workers, all of whom reported significant distress. Logistic regression analyses showed that a history of injecting drug use, an early age at leaving home and wanting to leave the sex industry were independent predictors of poor mental health. Distressed sex workers reported fewer sexual health examinations and less consistent condom use with their clients than those who were not distressed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Boyle
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dunne
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Najman
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Western
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Turrell
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glennon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011477:Sex Work / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires